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| Personal Injury |
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| At McKellar Roskind, LLP, we are dedicated to fighting for your rights. We have handled cases ranging from wrongful death, auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, dog bites, slip and fall, and other forms of serious personal injury. It is of the utmost importance that you act immediately in consulting with an attorney to ensure that your rights are fully protected. |
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| Things to Remember When Involved in an Accident: |
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From the moment the incident takes place, anything you say may be used against you at anytime in the future. |
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Do not say you are sorry, if you feel you were not at fault. |
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Do not admit fault or offer to repair the other person's vehicle, if you did not cause the accident. |
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If you are hurt, it is important that you get the medical help you need as soon as possible and without any unnecessary delay. |
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If you get the opportunity, talk to the investigating police officer and tell your side of the story. Be concise, do not exaggerate and be thorough to the best of your ability. If you are hurt, tell the police officer that you are hurt. If the other person was at fault, make sure you tell the police and tell why you think so. |
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| What Do I Do When My Insurance Company is Calling? |
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| In general, insurance companies are not your friend. You should remember that your insurance company is in business to make money, not necessarily to pay you the value of your claim. Therefore, always be suspicious of what the insurance company's adjuster tells you about your claim. It is always a good idea to research and double check the facts and figures set forth by the adjuster. |
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| When you signed your policy of motor vehicle coverage, it is likely that you agreed to cooperate with your insurance company if and when they choose to investigate your claim. Usually, that means that you must give them permission to get your medical records, to see and assess the damage to your vehicle, to give a recorded statement and/or submit yourself to an 'independent' medical examination if the insurance company so chooses. Of course, failure to cooperate will result in cancellation of your coverage, and/or denial of your claim. |
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| However, there are exceptions and limitations to your obligations. These exceptions and limitations are to be assessed on a case by case basis. Consult with an attorney to understand your rights in regards to your insurance company. |
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| What Do I Do When the Other Insurance Company is Calling? |
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| You have no obligation to cooperate with the other party's insurance carrier. |
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| Contrary to the obligations to your own insurance company, you do not have any obligation to talk, discuss, prove and/or provide information to the other party's insurance company. The other party's insurance adjuster is certainly not your friend. In fact, he or she is trying to ensure that either no payment is made to you or if you are entitled to payment, that the least amount of payment is made. |
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| Usually the insurance company makes an attempt to speak to you very shortly after the incident where you injured yourself and before you have had a chance to speak with an attorney. Anything you say during the interview will be used against you and will not be helpful if you choose to retain an attorney later on. You are under no obligation to speak to the other party's insurance company or provide a recorded statement where the sole purpose of the interviewer may be to make sure he or she gets you to say things that may not be helpful to your case. |
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| Will there be a charge to evaluate my claim? |
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| No. At McKellar Roskind, LLP, we will meet with you to discuss your injury free of charge. After our free initial consulation, you will have the opportunity to decide if we are the right law firm to handle your case, and we will have the opportunity to decide if we will represent you. |
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| Can you afford an attorney? |
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| You pay no fee unless we are successful in obtaining compensation for your injury. We handle personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis. This means that the legal fee is a percentage of the amount recovered, and there is no fee due unless and until money is actually collected for you. |
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| What about expenses? |
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| There are certain expenses, such as court costs and expert witness fees, involved in bringing a personal injury claim. You do not pay these expenses until the conclusion of the case, when money is recovered for your claim. |
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| Please contact us today at 865-566-0125 to discuss your injury situation, or simply fill out the form to the right. |
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